FALFURRIAS — McAllen High returned one player from its Elite Eight and Sweet 16 teams from 2021 and 2022, yet found a way to qualify for the postseason as the No. 4 seed from District 31-5A.
They then knocked off District 32-5A champion Harlingen South in overtime during the bi-district round Tuesday before falling 57-30 against the Corpus Christi Veterans Eagles on Friday at Falfurrias High School.
The Bulldogs’ season ends at 19-18 overall.
“They exceed our expectations as a coaching staff. The way the season started, with all these kids and only having one returner from last year’s group, I thought it was going to be a rough year,” McAllen High head coach Ryan Flores said. “We started off rough, but these guys, I got to commend them — they’re very coachable, they work hard in practice and do all they can for me on the court, and this is the result. I can’t be more proud of these guys for their effort and the energy they bring every single day.”
| McAllen High’s Mario Villegas (2) drives to the basket against Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial’s Sean Mondragon (15) in a Region IV-5A area round play game at Falfurrias High School on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2023, in Falfurrias. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez |
Senior guard Erasmo Alvarado was the only returning contributor and led the Bulldogs with 11 points against the Eagles. Mario Villegas scored seven points and Dylan Benavidez had six.
Alvarado will graduate with eight playoff wins under his belt the past three seasons.
“With these guys, even though they were young and inexperienced, (Alvarado) was the one that I usually expected a lot more. I used him as an example all the time. ‘You’ve been here, you’ve been in tough games, you need to help me on the court and with the younger guys,’” Flores said. “Erasmo kind of just led us, especially in the Rowe games, in the first round against Harlingen South. We’re not supposed to be here. All this is extra experience, and I’m just glad we end the season with us making the playoffs and being bi-district champs.”